Cressida Dick: the scandal-hit chief stepping down from Met Police

The latest honour was handed over on the same day that Dick backed her officers over their handling of crowds at the Euro 2020 final at Wembley. After thousands of ticketless fans managed to storm into the stadium, a review “found there were a series of ‘near misses’ among crowds which could have led to significant injuries or even death”, said the i news site. 

Dick had faced further criticism weeks earlier after an independent panel investigating the Met’s handling of the 1987 murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan described the force as “institutionally corrupt”.

The panel said that Dick repeatedly denied them “access to an internal police database without satisfactory explanation over a period of seven years”, the i reported.

Sue Gray report

Sue Gray’s report into lockdown-breaching parties at No. 10 quickly became “the latest chapter in Dame Cressida’s eventful stint as London’s top police officer”, said Anne McElvoy in the Evening Standard.

The force initially ruled out a Met investigation into the “partygate” allegations, stating that officers “do not normally investigate breaches of coronavirus regulations when they are reported long after they are said to have taken place”. Dick then rowed back on the decision, announcing that the force was looking into “potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations” in Downing Street and Whitehall since 2020.

Dick’s decision to launch the Met’s probe delayed the much-anticipated publication of Gray’s report, after the top civil servant was asked to make “minimal reference” to the events being investigated by the force. Following Dick’s last-minute intervention, MPs accused her of presiding over a “stitch-up” and a “farce”, reported the Financial Times. 

“A stitch-up between the Met leadership and No. 10 will damage our politics for generations and it looks like it is happening right in front of our eyes,” said Lib Dem leader Davey.

Contract extended 

Amid growing anger over the partygate row, sources told the BBC that Patel considered going through the civil service recruitment process to find a replacement for Dick last year, during the fallout from the policing at Everard’s vigil.

Patel was reportedly “overruled” by Downing Street and a decision was made to extend Dick’s contract for two more years. Dick said she was “honoured and humbled” to remain in the post.

A panel of victims of “police corruption, incompetence and malpractice”, led by Stephen Lawrence’s mother, Doreen, signed what the Daily Mail described as a “bombshell” letter to the PM calling for Dick’s contract not to be extended.

The letter said that Dick had “presided over a culture of incompetence and cover-up” and called for her to be “properly investigated for her conduct, along with her predecessors and those in her inner circle, who she appointed and who have questions to answer”.

But her luck ran out when London mayor Khan demanded a plan from the police commissioner on how the force would “win back the trust and confidence” of the public.

He said he was “disgusted and angry” about the litany of police failings that has come to light in recent months, and was therefore prepared to “take action” against Dick unless she offered a convincing plan to restore the public’s “knocked and shattered” confidence.

Her departure has proven no less controversial than her tenure in the job, with Khan “reportedly not informing the Home Secretary of developments”, The Telegraph reported. 

Home Office officials will “press City Hall for an explanation surrounding the departure”, which led to Khan being accused of “political opportunism” and “grandstanding”.

Article source: https://www.theweek.co.uk/952249/cressida-dick-met-police-commissioner